OPEN Foundation

Author name: OPEN Foundation

LSD kan helpen bij behandeling alcoholverslaving

alcoholismLSD kan helpen bij de behandeling van alcoholisme, zo blijkt uit een meta-analyse van een Noors onderzoeksteam. Deze studie, gepubliceerd in het Journal of Psychopharmacology, toont aan dat toediening van LSD aan alcoholverslaafde patiënten kan bijdragen aan het succes van een behandeling.

In de meta-analyse werden resultaten van zes gerandomiseerde klinische studies uit de periode 1966-1970 geanalyseerd. In deze studies werd in totaal bij 325 patiënten LSD toegediend, en bij 211 patiënten een placebo. Van de patiënten die LSD kreeg tijdens de behandeling vertoonde 59% een verbetering, vergeleken met 38% bij de patiënten die alleen een placebo kregen. De onderzoekers concluderen op basis van deze resultaten dat er bewijs is voor een positieve bijdrage van LSD bij de behandeling van mensen met een alcoholafhankelijkheid.

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LSD effective in the treatment of alcohol addiction

alcoholismLSD can be effective in the treatment of alcoholism, according to a new study of a Norwegian research team. This study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, shows that administration of LSD in alcoholics can contribute to the success of the treatment.

In this meta-analysis, the results of six randomized clinical trials that were published between 1966 and 1970 were used. In these studies LSD was administered in a total of 325 cases, and a placebo in 211 cases. Of the patients that received LSD 59% percent improved during the treatment, compared to only 38% of the persons receiving a placebo. The researchers conclude that there is evidence for a positive effect of LSD in the treatment of alcoholism.

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Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Assessments of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in the treatment of alcoholism have not been based on quantitative meta-analysis. Hence, we performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in order to evaluate the clinical efficacy of LSD in the treatment of alcoholism. Two reviewers independently extracted the data, pooling the effects using odds ratios (ORs) by a generic inverse variance, random effects model. We identified six eligible trials, including 536 participants. There was evidence for a beneficial effect of LSD on alcohol misuse (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.36–2.84; p = 0.0003). Between-trial heterogeneity for the treatment effects was negligible (I² = 0%). Secondary outcomes, risk of bias and limitations are discussed. A single dose of LSD, in the context of various alcoholism treatment programs, is associated with a decrease in alcohol misuse.

Krebs, T. S., & Johansen, P. Ø. (2012). Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcoholism: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 26(2), 994-1002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881112439253
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Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: Functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin

Abstract

Background: Psilocybin is a classic psychedelic drug that has a history of use in psychotherapy. One of the rationales for its use was that it aids emotional insight by lowering psychological defences.

Aims: To test the hypothesis that psilocybin facilitates access to personal memories and emotions by comparing subjective and neural responses to positive autobiographical memories under psilocybin and placebo.

Method: Ten healthy participants received two functional magnetic resonance imaging scans (2 mg intravenous psilocybin v. intravenous saline), separated by approximately 7 days, during which they viewed two different sets of 15 positive autobiographical memory cues. Participants viewed each cue for 6 s and then closed their eyes for 16 s and imagined re-experiencing the event. Activations during this recollection period were compared with an equivalent period of eyes-closed rest. We split the recollection period into an early phase (first 8 s) and a late phase (last 8 s) for analysis.

Results: Robust activations to the memories were seen in limbic and striatal regions in the early phase and the medial prefrontal cortex in the late phase in both conditions (P<0.001, whole brain cluster correction), but there were additional visual and other sensory cortical activations in the late phase under psilocybin that were absent under placebo. Ratings of memory vividness and visual imagery were significantly higher after psilocybin (P<0.05) and there was a significant positive correlation between vividness and subjective well-being at follow-up (P<0.01).

Conclusions: Evidence that psilocybin enhances autobiographical recollection implies that it may be useful in psychotherapy either as a tool to facilitate the recall of salient memories or to reverse negative cognitive biases.

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Leech, R., Williams, T. M., Erritzoe, D., Abbasi, N., Bargiotas, T., … & Wise, R. G. (2012). Implications for psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy: functional magnetic resonance imaging study with psilocybin. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 200(3), 238-244. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.111.103309
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A critical review of reports of endogenous psychedelic N, N-dimethyltryptamines in humans: 1955-2010

Abstract

Three indole alkaloids that possess differing degrees of psychotropic/psychedelic activity have been reported as endogenous substances in humans; N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-hydroxy-DMT (bufotenine, HDMT), and 5-methoxy-DMT (MDMT). We have undertaken a critical review of 69 published studies reporting the detection or detection and quantitation of these compounds in human body fluids. In reviewing this literature, we address the methods applied and the criteria used in the determination of the presence of DMT, MDMT, and HDMT. The review provides a historical perspective of the research conducted from 1955 to 2010, summarizing the findings for the individual compounds in blood, urine, and/or cerebrospinal fluid. A critique of the data is offered that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the methods and approaches to date. The review also discusses the shortcomings of the existing data in light of more recent findings and how these may be overcome. Suggestions for the future directions of endogenous psychedelics research are offered.

Barker, S. A., McIlhenny, E. H., Strassman, R. (2013). A critical review of reports of endogenous psychedelic N, N-dimethyltryptamines in humans: 1955-2010. Drug Testing and Analysis, 4(7-8), 617-35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dta.422
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Therapeutisch onderzoek hallucinogenen wint terrein

Kijk2

Wetenschapspopulariserend KIJK magazine heeft een artikel gewijd aan het onderzoek naar geestverruimende middelen. De titel van het artikel is “Trippend van je problemen af: De voorzichtige revival van drugs als medicijn”. Wetenschapsjournalist Jop de Vrieze interviewde onder andere psychiaters Andrew Feldmár en Charles Grob. Hij kwam tot de conclusie dat geestverruimende middelen tegenwoordig een “volwassen tak van wetenschappelijk onderzoek” vormen. XTC wordt in therapeutische setting toegediend bij emotionele stoornissen, psilocybine en LSD verminderen doodsangst, ketamine lijkt effectief bij depressie en ibogaine bij verslavingen. Deze positieve werkingen zijn al decennia bekend onder wetenschappers, maar mogen pas sinds kort weer openlijk onderzocht worden voor therapeutische doeleinden. Het artikel noemt hierbij het Amerikaanse Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies MAPS en evenals Stichting OPEN die hieraan een bijdrage leveren.

Het eerste deel van het artikel kan hier worden gelezen.

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Psychedelic research in popular literature

Kijk2The Dutch KIJK magazine printed an article on research on psychedelics. “Tripping away your problems: a slow revival of drugs as medicine”. Reporter Jop de Vrieze interviewed scientists among whom psychiatrists Andrew Feldmár en Charles Grob. Upon the interviews he based that nowadays psychedelics are a “full grown part of scientific studies”. XTC is therapeutically used for emotional illnesses, psilocybine and LSD with treating life quality in terminal illnesses, ketamine is effective with depression and ibogaine with addictions. These positive effects have been known to scientists for decades, yet only recently has public research slowly been allowed again. Both Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and The OPEN Foundation are brought forth in the article as promoting these studies.

The first part of the article (in Dutch) can be read here.

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Replication of Ketamine's Antidepressant Efficacy in Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Controlled Add-On Trial

Abstract

Background

Currently, no pharmacological treatments for bipolar depression exist that exert rapid (within hours) antidepressant or antisuicidal effects. We previously reported that intravenous administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist ketamine produced rapid antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression. The present study sought to replicate this finding in an independent sample.

Methods

In this double-blind, randomized, crossover, placebo-controlled study, 15 subjects with DSM-IV bipolar I or II depression maintained on therapeutic levels of lithium or valproate received a single intravenous infusion of either ketamine hydrochloride (.5 mg/kg) or placebo on 2 test days 2 weeks apart. The primary outcome measure was the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, which was used to rate overall depressive symptoms at baseline; at 40, 80, 110, and 230 minutes postinfusion; and on days 1, 2, 3, 7, 10, and 14 postinfusion.

Results

Within 40 minutes, depressive symptoms, as well as suicidal ideation, significantly improved in subjects receiving ketamine compared with placebo (d = .89, 95% confidence interval = .61–1.16, and .98, 95% confidence interval = .64–1.33, respectively); this improvement remained significant through day 3. Seventy-nine percent of subjects responded to ketamine and 0% responded to placebo at some point during the trial. The most common side effect was dissociative symptoms, which occurred only at the 40-minute time point.

Conclusion

This study replicated our previous finding that patients with bipolar depression who received a single ketamine infusion experienced a rapid and robust antidepressant response. In addition, we found that ketamine rapidly improved suicidal ideation in these patients.

Zarate Jr., A., Brutsche, N. E., Ibrahim, L., Franco-Chaves, J., Diazgranados, N., Cravchik, A., … Luckenbaugh, D. A. (2011). Replication of Ketamine’s Antidepressant Efficacy in Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Controlled Add-On Trial. Biological Psychiatry, 71(11), 939-946. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2011.12.010
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Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin

Abstract

Psychedelic drugs have a long history of use in healing ceremonies, but despite renewed interest in their therapeutic potential, we continue to know very little about how they work in the brain. Here we used psilocybin, a classic psychedelic found in magic mushrooms, and a task-free functional MRI (fMRI) protocol designed to capture the transition from normal waking consciousness to the psychedelic state. Arterial spin labeling perfusion and blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI were used to map cerebral blood flow and changes in venous oxygenation before and after intravenous infusions of placebo and psilocybin. Fifteen healthy volunteers were scanned with arterial spin labeling and a separate 15 with BOLD. As predicted, profound changes in consciousness were observed after psilocybin, but surprisingly, only decreases in cerebral blood flow and BOLD signal were seen, and these were maximal in hub regions, such as the thalamus and anterior and posterior cingulate cortex (ACC and PCC). Decreased activity in the ACC/medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was a consistent finding and the magnitude of this decrease predicted the intensity of the subjective effects. Based on these results, a seed-based pharmaco-physiological interaction/functional connectivity analysis was performed using a medial prefrontal seed. Psilocybin caused a significant decrease in the positive coupling between the mPFC and PCC. These results strongly imply that the subjective effects of psychedelic drugs are caused by decreased activity and connectivity in the brain’s key connector hubs, enabling a state of unconstrained cognition.

Carhart-Harris, R. L., Erritzoe, D., Williams, T., Stone, J. M., Reed, L. J., Colasanti, A., … Nutt, D. J. (2012). Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(6), 2138-2143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1119598109
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Ayahuasca wetenschappelijke literatuur overzicht

iceers3

In reactie op beweringen die in 2010 werden gedaan door de United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) ten aanzien van de serieuze gezondheidsrisico’s die het gebruik van Ayahuasca met zich mee zou brengen, heeft psycholoog en ayahuasca onderzoeker Jose Carlos Bouso een document samengesteld met alle betekenisvolle wetenschappelijke onderzoeken naar de korte-, middellange- en lange termijn effecten van ayahuasca. Geen enkele studie ondersteunt de beweringen van de INCB, en in sommige van deze studies worden juist aanwijzingen voor mogelijke therapeutische effecten van ayahuacsa gevonden.

Het document werd samengesteld voor the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research & Service (ICEERS), en kan hier worden gedownload.

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Embrace Pleasure: Supporting Sexual Flourishing Through Psychedelic Experience - October 14